UV Sterilizing Device With Reflective Housing For Medical Instruments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional UV light sterilization devices for medical instruments, such as stethoscopes, are inefficient due to their structure and material limitations, which hinder effective irradiation and often require unnecessary components, and are not effectively portable or convenient for use in clinical settings.
Innovation Solution
A compact UV light sterilizing device with a closed housing, reflective surfaces, and a rechargeable power supply, featuring UV lamps that emit germicidal radiation, is designed to automatically sterilize medical instruments like stethoscopes, with options for automatic or manual control and integration with a holster or wall mount, ensuring effective and efficient disinfection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional UV light sterilization devices use transparent housing materials like glass or clear plastic, then the device structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the transparency of these materials blocks effective UV irradiation and reduces sterilization efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the housing material from transparent to opaque or translucent that allows UV transmission. The housing is specifically designed to be opaque to visible light but translucent to UV wavelengths, enabling effective UV irradiation while maintaining structural integrity and ease of manufacturing with appropriate materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary material solution for the housing that mediates between the conflicting requirements of visibility blocking and UV transmission. By selecting materials with specific optical properties that are opaque to visible light but translucent to UV, the housing acts as an intermediary that allows UV penetration while preventing visible light transmission, thus resolving the contradiction between sterilization efficiency and manufacturing ease.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional UV sterilization devices include components to uphold medical apparatus like stethoscopes, then the device can hold multiple items, but this entails unnecessary parts and increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes unnecessary components from the device structure. Instead of including separate upholding components for medical apparatus, the design relies on the inherent structure of the medical devices themselves or simple attachment mechanisms, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to sterilize various medical instruments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies universality by designing a housing structure that can accommodate multiple types of medical devices without requiring specific dedicated components for each. The housing itself serves as a universal container and support structure, eliminating the need for additional specialized upholding parts while maintaining adaptability to different medical instruments.
3Ease of operation
If UV sterilization devices are designed for portability with pocket or belt attachment, then the device is convenient for clinical use, but the housing materials used do not provide effective irradiation due to their transparency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the portable housing materials to be opaque to visible light but translucent to UV wavelengths. This allows the device to maintain its portable, pocket-friendly design while ensuring that the housing material does not block UV irradiation, thus resolving the contradiction between portability and irradiation effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device provides thorough and efficient UV light exposure to medical instruments, reducing the risk of nosocomial infections by minimizing user contact and using reflective materials to enhance irradiation, while being portable and convenient for use in various settings.
Implementation Method 1
The UV lamp used in the inventive device preferably generates radiation with a wavelength ranging from 200 nm to 290 nm. Radiation with a 254 nm wavelength generally has the optimal germicidal effect.
Implementation Method 2
the sterilizing device is constructed of reflective materials, or, comprises walls with reflective materials on their surfaces, so as to maximize the irradiation rate of the UV light.
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with the present invention, a device and method is provided for covering and sterilizing a stethoscope or other medical instrument for safer use. The device comprises a closed housing for shielding the object to be sterilized, a means for receiving the object, a power supply, an ultraviolet light source within the housing, and a switch for controlling that lamp.